Seal.



G. MOUNT.

SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED 001e, 1910.

Patented Dec. 12,1911.

COLUMBIA PL 1.1 F IQ fl SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Application filed October 8, 1910. Serial No. 586,001.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES MOUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carman, in the county of Harrison and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seals,'of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to seals and more particularly to that class where the seal has to be broken or destroyed before any one can gain entrance to the place where the same is applied, the object being to provide a novel seal of this character that can be quickly and easily locked and will stay in a securely locked position until the seal is broken or destroyed.

Another object is to provide a seal of this character that cannot be tampered with by any one but the proper party, without detection.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts whereby a seal is produced which will possess advantages in points of efficiency, durability and is inexpensive of manufacture, and at the same time being simple in construction and operation.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter described, and pointed out in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail views of the dif ferent parts of my improved seal.

In the construction of my improved seal I employ a locking member 1 of tin or any other pliable material having extensions 2 and 3 formed upon its longitudinal edges at one end and having two openings 4 and 5 out out within the other end. The body 1 is folded up in the manner shown by the dotted lines, and the extensions 2 and 3 are folded upon the body to hold it in a folded position. The end of the body strip upon which the extensions 2 and 3 are formed is spaced from the other folded end portion thereof as shown at 6 to receive a strip 7, said strip being folded intermediate of its ends 8 and at points intermediate of its ends and center and having outspringing tongues 9 stamped out within its ends for engagement with the opening 4 within the body, said opening being provided with slits 10' and 10 cut on each side of the end toward the opening for the entrance of the strip 7. These slits provide a tongue which is readily bent upon an attempt to break the seal. This will insure the destruction of the inner body of the seal when the strip is withdrawn from within the body and the seal is broken, and will prevent the entrance of another strip, so that the seal cannot be used again. The outer end of the body is folded inward, as shown at 11, to permit an easy entrance of the ends of the strip 7 into the folded portion of the body 1. The strip 7 is enlarged at its ends 8 so as to lessen the chance of its being used again after the seal has been broken.

An endless band 12 is provided to form a case for the housing of the folded body, said case having a slot 13 cut therein to register with the opening 6 in the folded body.

The body 1 is folded for insertion into the case 12 by first bending the portion provided with the opening 5 and folding the same upon the portion of the strip having the opening 4 therein. These two portions are then folded together down upon the portion of the body. strip adjacent the exten sions 2 and 3. These three portions of the strip are of substantially the same length and after said strip has been folded in the above manner, they are folded over upon the body part of the strip between the extensions 2 and 3. These extensions are then bent at the edges of the strip and folded over upon each other and upon the folded strip which is arranged between them.

To assemble the parts of the seal, we will assume that the device is made of a pliable metal with the parts in shape to be put to gether. After the body 1 and extensions 2 and 3 have been properly folded, the same is inserted into the case 12 so that the slot 13 and space 6 between the ends of the folded body are in a registering position, then take one end of the strip 7 having one of the tongues 9 on the proper side to engage with the opening 4 within the body, and slip the end through the slot 13 and into the opening in the body and the seal is ready for market. The tongues 9 on the ends of the shackle strip 7 after passing through the opening 4 are moved into the end of the opening 5 and over the edge of the opening 4 upon the bendable portion of the body strip which is formed by the provision of the slits 10 and 10'. To complete the operation the remaining end of the strip is then inserted beside the one already engaged. When this lasii end is in place it effectually closes the sea The seal cannot be unlocked without clestroying it and for this reason it cannot be tampered with without detection.

It is noted that various changes in the details of construction and in the proportions may be resorted to for successfully carrying the invention into practice without sacrificing any of the features or departing from the scope thereof.

Upon reference to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be observed that the slot 13 of the case 12 is only of sufficient width to receive the double thickness of metal formed by folding the shackle strip 7, thus obviating all possibility of the insertion of an instrument through said slot for engagement with the tongues 9 to remove the same from the openings in the locking member.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1.' In combination, a case open at opposite sides, a locking member consisting of a pliable strip of metal having extensions on its longitudinal edges adjacent to one end, spaced openings in said strip adjacent to its other end, said strip being adapted to be folded upon itself to lie between the extensions thereof, said extensions being adapted to be folded over upon the folded portion of the strip, said folded portion being spaced from the remainder of the strip, a shackle 4 adapted to be inserted into one end of the casing and having spring locking tongues to engage in the openings of said locking member, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination, a case open at opposite sides and having a slot in one end, a locking member consisting of a pliable strip adapted to be folded upon itself, said strip having spaced openings formed in one end, said strip being cut at the longitudinal edges of one of the openings beyond its end to provide a bendable tongue, a shackle member consisting of a metal strip folded upon itself and having resilient locking tongues formed in the ends thereof, said shackle being adapted for insertion through the slot in the end of the case and between the folded portions of the locking member at one end thereof, said tongues being adapted to extend through said openings and engage over said bendable tongue, and means carried by said locking member extending over the folded portions thereof to prevent the extraction of the locking tongues from said openings.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MOUNT.

Witnesses:

R. F. RAMSEY, WILLIAM HIBBS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

